Housing for electric fans and the like



March 6, 1951 L. w. sElL.

` HOUSING FOR ELECTRIC FANS AND THE LIKE Filed July 16, 1949 I INVENToR.

Zelf/J fd 56u Patented Mar. 6, 1951 HOUSING FOR ELECTRIC FANS AND THE LIKE Lewis W. Seil, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Cory Cox-- poration, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Dela- Ware Application July 16, 1949, Serial No. 105,101'

Claims.

This invention relates to a housing which .is especially adaptable for enclosures of electric fans, heaters. combination fans and heaters, and other similar appliances. It combines in its structure a base whereon the housing is pivotally supported so that the housing may readily be adjusted to any rotative position within a range of 360.

Specifically, the present invention is concerned with a housing comprising two complementary shells, one adjacent the other with a medial line of separation that lies in a plane transversely of the fan motor shaft. The shells for such a housing constitute a guard whereby the fan or other parts interiorly of the housing are protected. The front and rear faces of the two shells are desirably of open pattern, referred to hereinafter as a g1-ille, so that air may pass freely through the housing from the rear and out through the front. I

The pivotal mounting of a housing so formed upon a base support is also one of the features of this invention. This mounting comprises dowel plates which are slidably tted within guideways, one in each of the two shells, and through the two dowel plates pivot pins are extended to connect with the upper ends of upstanding legs which are comprised in a pair of inverted U- shaped base supports. Friction means is also associated with the pivotal connection so that opposing thrust forces may be exerted upon the dowel plates and the legs of the base supports whereby to maintain the housing in a selected rotative position of adjustment. As part of the pivotal connections with the legs near their top ends, I utilize an enclosing cup washer which serves to limit the spreading movement of the two base supports away from each other. It is with features such as those just referred to that this invention is concerned and which contribute to its usefulness and attractiveness in a marked degree. f

A suggestive embodiment of this invention is set forth in the accompanying drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an electric fan or the like enclosed within the present housing;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the housing, taken on line 2-:2 of Fig. 3; l

'Fig'. 3 is a horizontal section, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l;r Fig. 4 is a detail in section, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail in vertical section, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in elevation looking toward the interior faces of two slightly separated shells at. the point where the dowel plate is carried by one of them.

As herein shown, the present housing comprises a front shell F and a rear shell R which meet along a medial separation line s. The two shells which are desirably made of suitable plastic material are inturned along their margins to provide a closure which extends more or less continuously around the sides, top and bottom.

As shown best in Fig. 3 provision is made for mounting a motor M within the housing. The.

motor shaft I0 extends toward the front shell at substantially a central point to carry a hub Il mounting a plurality of fan blades I2. Along the rear of the motor is a horizontally extending strap I5 connected thereto and to the rear shell R as by means of bolts I6 which traverse a solid panel formed centrally in the shell. By means such as this the motor is xedly mounted for operation within the housing.

The marginal walls of the two shells at substantially a central point on each side are inwardly thickened at 20 where I have provided a horizontally extending recess 2I which is undercut at 22 upon opposite sides thereof. Such a recess provides in effect a channeled guideway wherein may be slidably fitted one end portion of a. dowel plate 25. The length of this plate is such that it occupies both adjacent guideways in the front and rear shells F and R, thereby providing a means for centering one shell with respect to the other and also a substantial reenforcement therebetween. If desired, the strap I5 may be extended to opposite sides of the housing where forwardly turned ears 26 are provided. These ears may then be a'lxed (by means shortly to be described) to the two dowel plates so as to retain them in assembled relation with the rear shell R. This is of advantage because it facilitates assembly and disassembly of the two shells, inasmuch as separate handling of the two dowel plates is then obviated.

A base support for the housing is also provided. In the form shown this comprises a pair of like supports A and B, made desirably from wire or the like, and each in the form of an inverted U with upstanding legs which meet at their top ends. The legs of the support A are designated as 30 and 3|, respectively, and the legs of the support B are designated as 32 and 33, respectively. Near the bottom where each pair of legs execute bends to connect with a bight 34, cushions 35 in the form of rubber tubing or the like may be fitted onto the legs, as clearly shown in the drawing.

The upper end portions of the facing legs at opposite ends of the support may be curved toward each other as indicated at 31 and 38 respectively (see Fig. 5). The curvature of these arcuately formed end portions of each pair of confronting legs may be substantially concentric so as to readily t within a cup washer 40 having an outturned flange 4I wherein is a, gap 42 formed by an interruption which continues for a distance that is desirably more than 90. The upper ends of the legs 3| and 33 are adapted to enter within the gap thus formed in the flange of one cup washer so that the arcuate end portions 31 and 38 may lie therewithin and be enclosed by its curved flange 4I. Similarly the upper ends of the other two legs 32 and 34 may be entered within the other cup washer 40. 'Ihe distance to which each pair of legs may swing apart is limited by the extent of the gap 42 provided by the flange interruption, and when the legs have swung apart to the point shown in Fig. 5 engagement will take place with opposite ends of the flange to prevent further spreading movement. I rely upon this simple expedient to provide a stop for limiting the outward spreading movement of the two supports to the distance that is determined by the length of the gap in the flange 4I.

The cup washer 40 is desirably inset at 45 in its center region where a hole is provided for reception of a pivot pin or rivet 46 whose head is disposed within this recess in sunken relation to the washer as a whole. VThis pin traverses a flat washer 41 which lies adjacent the arcuate end portions of the two confined legs for engagement therewith; also one or more spring washers 48 which are tted between the washer 41 and the proximate dowel plate which is also apertured for the pin to pass therethrough; and the meeting edges of the two shells F and R are recessed coaxially with the pin (see Fig. 3) for its accommodation when assembly of these various parts takes place. The pin continues on through the proximate ear 26 of the strap I5, and inwardly thereof is headed at 50 to remain xedly in place. Such a pin furnishes a pivotal connection between the housing and the base supports A and B, permitting the housing to rotate about the axis of the two pins 46 which are mutually aligned, and to be held by the friction of the spring washers 48 in any selected rotative position of adjustment. In this rotative movement the dowel plates are held non-rotatably within the guideways which accommodate them, thereby producing relative movement between these plates and the at washers 41. The annular channel to the inside of each cup washer, formed by its inset portion 45 and flange 4I is relied upon to secure the leg ends against separation from each other and from the pivot assembly hereinbefore described.

To secure the two guard shells in operative relation whereby to provide an enclosing housing for support of the fan motor or other appliance, I provide a plurality of bolts 59 each adapted to pass through a boss 60 that is supported inwardly of the rear shell R, the forward ends of these bolts then passing into other aligned bosses 62 that are carried by the front shell F and formed with screw threads for coaction with the bolts. To assure accurate registration of one shell with the other when assembled therewith, their meeting edges are desirably rabbeted for intertting. If and when it becomes necessary or desirable to open up the housing. the bolts 59 Aare withdrawn permitting the two shells to separate. When this takes place, the pivotal connection between the base support and the rear shell R remains intact, due to the retention of the two dowel plates within the guideways of this shell. This retention is assured by the pivot pins 46 which pass through the ears 26 at the ends of the strap I5 whereon is supported the motor or other appliance which is mounted for operation within the housing. It, is, therefore, a feature of advantage that, when disassembly of the housing is desired so that full access may be obtained to the mechanism therewithin, there is no coming out of the pivotal connections between the base sipport and the rear shell of the housing. These remain intact so that, to replace the housing in its operative condition, it is merely necessary to reflt the forward shell in place and replace the screw connections from the rear. The heads of these screws are desirably countersunk within the bosses traversed by the bolts whereby to be concealed.

I claim:

1. A combination housing and guard for a fanmotor assembly and the like in which two complementary shells are arranged axially of the fan motor, one adjacent the other, each shell being provided with a grille face, one disposed ahead of the fan motor and the other rearwardly thereof, the marginal portions of each shell being inturned toward the other to meet therewithl means for releasably securing the two shells together in unitary relation, a mounting for the fan motor comprising a. strap adjacent the interior face of the rear shell and xedly secured thereto and to the motor, a guideway formed in one shell at opposite sides thereof, a dowel plate slidably fitted in each guideway, means to hold each dowel plate within its guideway comprising ears extended forwardly from the two strap ends, a base support for the two shells, and means pivotally connecting the base support with each dowel plate.

2. A combination housing and guard for a fanmotor assembly and the like inwhich two complementary shells are arranged axially of the fan motor, one adjacent the other, each shell being provided with a grille face, one disposed ahead of the fan motor and the other rearwardly thereof, the marginal portions of each shell being inturned toward the other to provide a closure extending marginally of the shells, means for releasably securing the two shells together in unitary relation, a mounting for the ian motor comprising a strap adjacent the interior face of the rear shell and xedly secured thereto and to the motor, a pair of guideways carried by the two shells at opposite sides thereof and in register with each other, a dowel plate slidably fitted in each pair of opposed guideways of the two shells, means to hold each dowel plate within the guideways of the rear shell comprising ears extended outwardly from the two strap ends, the two dowel plates being extended slidably between the shells within the guideways thereof, a base support for the shells, and a pivot pin connecting each dowel plate with the base support.

3. A combination housing and guard for electric fans and the like comprising two complementary grilled shells in unitary relation and separable medially in a plane transversely of the fan axis, a pair of dowel plates supported between the two shells, one at each side thereof, a base for the shells comprising a pair of inverted U- shaped supports having upstanding legs meeting at a point opposite the dowel plates exteriorly of the shells, the free end portions of oppositely facing legs being arcuately bent toward each other, a at washer disposed against the arcuate end portions of each two oppositely facing legs, a cup washer overlying each pair of oppositely facing leg ends, the flange of each cup washer being interrupted through more than 90 to receive the oppositely facing arcuately bent end portions of the proximate legs, a pivot pin interconnecting each dowel plate with the proximate flat washer and cup Washer to permit swinging movement of one leg away from the other to the extent of the gap between the two ends of the flange, and friction means exerting opposing thrusts against each dowel plate and the proximate flat washer and thereby transmitting pressure to the arcuate end portions of the two legs to hold the same in a selected position of adjustment with respect to each other and to the shells carried thereby.

4. A combination housing and guard for electric fans and the like comprising two complementary grilled shells, in unitary relation and separable medially in a plane transversely of the fan axis, a base for the shells comprising two pair of upstanding legs, one pair at each side of the two shells, the upper end portions of the legs in each pair being curved toward each other, a cup washer having in its circular flange a gap to receive therethrough the two legs of one pair with the curved end portions thereof in substantial conformity therewith to be enclosed and secured thereby, and means pivotally interconnecting each cup washer and associated legs and one shell at one side thereof with like means at its opposite side in interconnection with the proximate cup washer and legs, the gaps in the two cup washers being sufficiently long to permit swinging movement or the two legs secured thereby to swing away from each other for a predetermined limited distance.

5. A combination housing and guard for electric fans and the like comprising two complementary grilled shells, means for removably securing one shell to the other in unitary relation therewith, a base for the shells comprising two pair of upstanding legs, one pair at each side of the two shells, the upper end portions of the legs in each pair being curved toward each other, a cup washer having in its circular flange a gap to receive therethrough the two legs of one pair withthe curved end portions thereof in substantial conformity therewith to be enclosed and secured thereby, means pivotally interconnecting each cup washer and associated legs and one shell at one side thereof with like means at its opposite side in interconnection with the proximate cup washer and legs, the gaps in the two cup washers being suiiiciently long to permit swinging movement of the two legs secured thereby to swingaway from each other for a predetermined limited distance, and dowel means carried by one shell and extended toward the other shell for sliding engagement therewith when the two shells are assembled in unitary relation.

LEWIS W. SEIL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flleof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Weber Mar. 28, 1944 

